Thanksgiving Dinner Served up at Messalonskee High School

Most schools are closed for the holiday.But Messalonskee High School in Oakland has opened its doors to the community.Making sure folks are served a Thanksgiving feast.Meghan Hayward has the story.Thanksgiving is a day when many gather with their family.But for more than 100 volunteers in Oakland, they spend it serving up a Thanksgiving meal at Messalonskee High School.Making sure no one goes hungry.A tradition since 1990.” Wouldn’t it be nice to have a Thanksgiving dinner that everyone could go to for free and feel like their part of the community. Doesn’t matter if you have the means or not but just to share the holiday spirit together and I thought it sounded wonderful.”Mike Marston has been behind the dinner for all those years.He says it’s hard to believe he’s been doing it for so long.” It’s grown every year. It’s just a very rewarding day.”A large number of the volunteers were young folks.” That’s one of the reasons we started this dream. Take small town American values that I witnessed growing up and pass that onto another generation.”Heidi Stuckey graduated from Messalonskee in 2006.But she’s spending this holiday back at the school, volunteering.” I think it’s great we have this for them and I know they really appreciate it yoiu can see it in their faces when you talk to them.”Even 8-year-old Sara Hamilton helped out, setting up the tables.And was happy to do so.” That I’m helping people.”And for folks who couldn’t make it out to the dinner.They won’t be going hungry.Several of the volunteers package the food and deliver to their homes.Making sure it was a ” Happy Thanksgiving” in Oakland and surrounding towns.